Less than Two Weeks ‘til Christmas.
What a Beautiful Time of Year!

Oh, I realize it is quite Out-of-Fashion to say that!
What’s popular now is Ugly Sweater Parties
Disparaging Christmas, making a mockery of it.
Santa-con — Reducing Christmas to the most debauched aspect of St. Patrick’s Day!
That seems to me just too Easy!
It’s Easy to Stand on the Outside in Jeer and Derision.
I advocate: Show Up for Your Life!
It’s way more Rewarding to Actively and Joyfully participate IN it.

This year, shelves are stocked with “Ugly Christmas” Clothing, labeled as such
And hideous useless “White Elephant” Gifts.
Apparently, they have found a way to make Money, even from those who abhor the season.
Can you just see the Executives seated around the Corporate BoardRoom Table coming up with that one: “I Know! We’ll sell them crap that panders to their loathing!”

I just don’t subscribe to any of it.
It has the potential to be Such a BEAUTIFUL Holiday!
Yeah, there can be Family Stress.
Yeah, there’s Cooking and Baking to Do (Well, if you cultivate the Willingness to do it!)
Yeah, there’s Presents to Create,
Make,
Select,
or as a last resort, Buy at Full Price.
But when did any of these things become Bad?

Let’s Look at what we are Celebrating:
“’Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” — Matthew 1:23

What is So Terrible?
We are Celebrating “GOD WITH US.”
That’s’ All.
Who does that Offend?

OK, if you wanna’ be nitpicky, you can say, “OH, that’s an exclusively Christian Holiday because it celebrates specifically the Birth of Jesus Christ!”
Then you can take that further,
say that it offends Jews and Muslims
Although that is a specious argument, as Jews, Muslims and Christians all point to the same Father Abraham as the Founder of their Religions.
I am guessing DONALD TRUMP and his Supporters are not thinking about what we all have in Common,
But I Am!
You can choose to say the Christmas Holiday Offends All People of Any Faith who aren’t Christian, and perhaps some who Are.
Then you can put on your Ugly Sweater and mope around all day being miserable
…if you want.

But the Core of What we are Celebrating here
The Truth of it
Is “God With Us!”

So, whoever you are and whatever you Believe,
Is it not possible to pause and just Give Thanks for All we Have and for All We Are
Whatever Higher Power Created Us
Whatever Cosmic Goo we came from when we manifested here
Whatever Collective Consciousness that is Greater than Ourselves…
This is Worth Celebrating!
We are Not Alone.
We are a part of Community!
Celebrate Community!
Give and Give Back!
That’s for Everyone!

Community!
That’s for Everyone!
Giving and Helping and Loving and Expressing Gratitude to those we Love for the Gift of their Presence in our Lives!
That is for Any and Every One of us who choose to Celebrate it!

We are Not Alone!
We are Helped!
We have Much for Which to be Thankful!
We have Much to Give!
We need not Fear. Ever!
We are Loving and Loveable!
We are Empowered to Express and to Create,
Just as the Creator who Created Us!
God With Us!

Get rid of the Ugly Sweater and the Wretched Attitude.
Quit Mocking Entire Seasons of the Year.
Get Off Your Pity Pot!
Put on your Santa Suit to cheer up a Kid at a Shelter who needs it!
Go and Sing for awhile at a Home for the Elderly!
They cannot Wait to See You!
Bake Some Cookies from Scratch! It’s FUN!
Share them with Somebody Else!
It’s Even More FUN!

Make a present for someone.
Whatever your Talent is, Share It!
Make Something!
Express YourSelf!
Laugh and Sing and Dance Fervently
Give of Yourself
Help Others!
Nurture the Dreams of Children!
Nurture the Dreams of Your Dormant Self, aching to Burst Forth in the Bright Lights of the Season!
Twinkle!
Sparkle!
GLOW…

God With Us!
Celebrate That!

Christmas Trees at the Plaza Hotel Fountain in New York 2015

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